Farm Equipment: Sure Don't Make 'Em Like They Used To

Corn pickers

Jerry and Kevin Johnson bought these old corn pickers at an auction. Both are Avco New Idea models. They plan to use the one toward the back.

New Idea

An old Avco New Idea logo plate.

Corn picker

This Avco New Idea corn picker is a 1950s/1960s vintage. Jerry and Kevin Johnson, who farm in south-central, Minnesota, bought this to actually use on a few acres.

Grader

An old John Deere road grader.

Allis-Chalmers

My family has always been big on Allis. This is from a D17.

Allis D17

Allis-Chalmers D17

Jerry and Kevin Johnson still rake hay with this late-1950s Allis-Chalmers D17.

Sears-David Bradley

Sears-David Bradley wagon, 1960s vintage.

Sears-David Bradley

Sears used to sell grain wagons.

Minnesota grain wagon

The Minnesota brand grain wagons were made by prisoners at the Stillwater, MN, facility.

Minneapolis Moline corn sheller

This is an Minneapolis Moline model E corn sheller. My grandpa and his brother charged 3¢/bu. to shell corn using this machine.

New Idea horse mower

This New Idea horse mower was built in the 1930s or 1940s.

New Idea cast

Oliver and New Idea

Paul Benson of Spencer, IA, sent in this photo of his son, Dirk, picking corn using their 1855 Oliver tractor and a New Idea corn picker.

Samson GMC tractor

Mark Borba sent in these pictures of a Samson GMC tractor. The serial number on this on indicates it's one of only nine in the world!

Samson GMC tractor

Another view of the Samson GMC submitted by Mark Borba.

Samson GMC tractor

Front-end view of the Samson GMC tractor.

1960s Vibrachisel

Roger Lubiens' farm is in Dickey County, North Dakota. This is a 1960s vintage Vibrachisel at work in the field.

McCormick Reaper M

Roger Lubiens had this old McCormick grain binder on his farm at Dickey County, North Dakota.

Montgomery Grain Master

This grain grinder made by Montgomery lives at Roger Lubiens' farm in North Dakota.

Farmall tractor and mower

Roger Lubiens, Dickey County, ND, still uses this 1949 Farmall tractor and mower.

One-bottom plow

This old one-bottom plow sits in a shed on Roger Lubiens' farm in North Dakota.